36 Dead in Highway Collapse Tragedy

(ReliableNews.org) – Southeastern China endured days of heavy rain at the end of April. The region experienced severe flooding in some places. That contributed to a heartbreaking disaster.

On May 1, a section of highway collapsed in the Meizhou city in Guangdong province. The mudslide occurred around 2 a.m. and led to the destruction of a 58.7-foot-long section of the road. The collapse caused a slope that cars tumbled down in its aftermath.

According to reports, at least 18 cars fell down the slope. Authorities reported 36 people died in the accident and 30 others suffered injuries. A fire broke out after the collapse and left some of the vehicles charred and smoking. Many survivors suffered very serious injuries to their internal organs and fractured bones. More than 500 people deployed to the area to help with rescue efforts.

Days before the collapse, a tornado and hailstorm hit a neighboring city, Guangzhou. The rare storm killed five people and injured 33 others.

One witness told the state news media that he had heard a loud bang and briefly struggled to retain control of his vehicle. He got it under control but then looked behind him and noticed all of the vehicles that had been following him were gone.

In the US, Maryland is still reeling from the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. That accident happened after a freighter hit the bridge causing it to collapse. Six people died in the collapse. Authorities have only recovered four of the bodies.

Several years ago, a pedestrian bridge collapsed in Miami near the campus of Florida International University. That collapse killed six people in the accident, many of them were in their vehicles when the bridge fell. The National Transportation and Safety Board (NTSB) determined a design flaw caused the accident.

Back in China, families are mourning their loved ones and nursing the injured back to good health.

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